Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Well folks, it’s been a while since I’ve written here. I’ve been mostly away from the ol’ BMC office and studiously attending my classes, learning the trade of cooking. All this has gotten me out of my head a little and I spend a lot less time at a desk, thinking about the injustice of homophobia and discrimination in church and society and more time thinking about stocks and sauces and tempering chocolate. But tomorrow, I have the day off, so I thought I’d change things up a bit. I thought I would take a little time to think about Martin Luther King Jr. and see what new thing I can learn from him.
The more I read and hear the speeches, sermons, and writings of MLK the more radical and relevant they seem not just in his time, but in ours. I can’t help but mentally add homophobia when he speaks of racism. His inspiring words ring true today as we still live in a world filled with war, violence, racism, sexism, homophobia, materialism, and poverty.
Today in church, part of King’s “Our God is Marching On” speech was read. I thought I would share a wonderful excerpt and suggest you spend part of your MLK Day reading and/or listening to a few speeches/sermons/articles. You could start by exploring The King Center and the MLK Jr Papers Project. Some of my personal favorites are “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” “Beyond Vietnam,” and “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” I’d love to hear some of your favorites.
“Our God is Marching On” (excerpt)
I know you are asking today, “How long will it take?” (Speak, sir) Somebody’s asking, “How long will prejudice blind the visions of men, darken their understanding, and drive bright-eyed wisdom from her sacred throne?” Somebody’s asking, “When will wounded justice, lying prostrate on the streets of Selma and Birmingham and communities all over the South, be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men?” Somebody’s asking, “When will the radiant star of hope be plunged against the nocturnal bosom of this lonely night, (Speak, speak, speak) plucked from weary souls with chains of fear and the manacles of death? How long will justice be crucified, (Speak) and truth bear it?” (Yes, sir)
I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, (Yes, sir) however frustrating the hour, it will not be long, (No sir) because “truth crushed to earth will rise again.” (Yes, sir)
How long? Not long, (Yes, sir) because “no lie can live forever.” (Yes, sir)
How long? Not long, (All right. How long) because “you shall reap what you sow.” (Yes, sir)
How long? (How long?) Not long: (Not long)
Truth forever on the scaffold, (Speak)
Wrong forever on the throne, (Yes, sir)
Yet that scaffold sways the future, (Yes, sir)
And, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
Keeping watch above his own.
How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. (Yes, sir)
How long? Not long, (Not long) because:
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; (Yes, sir)
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; (Yes)
He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword; (Yes, sir)
His truth is marching on. (Yes, sir)
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; (Speak, sir)
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat. (That’s right)
O, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant my feet!
Our God is marching on. (Yeah)
Glory, hallelujah! (Yes, sir) Glory, hallelujah! (All right)
Glory, hallelujah! Glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on. [Applause]
